


One day.

by catboyhinata



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Eventual Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M, Slight Manga Spoilers, Unresolved Romantic Tension, mostly yearning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:13:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27150934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catboyhinata/pseuds/catboyhinata
Summary: Hinata thinks of scraped palms and gasping breaths, Hinata thinks of late evening practices. Hinata thinks of dark azure eyes, falling in love at seventeen, running to catch up but still feeling left behind. Thinks of the hand he could've held tightly but he's not there yet, leaving his home and heart with a promise to find himself anew.Hinata Shouyou thinks of the love he wishes to come back to.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio
Comments: 4
Kudos: 58





	One day.

Kageyama always says he doesn’t like any physical contact, yet he’s also the last one to let go when his teammates pull him into a group hug when they win another set. Two consecutive sets in a row; it’s a job well done. Hinata can still feel the slight sting on his palm, Kageyama had shot him his victory smile even before the ball had hit the court and Hinata moved on instinct - his arms spread wide - before the final whistle could blow. 

It’s only been mere months since he’s known Kageyama, or perhaps a little over a year. He can’t really remember the time, it didn’t really matter to him. But one thing he knows for sure is that Kageyama says a lot of things he doesn’t mean. He’s not tired yet? He's probably exhausted beyond belief. Doesn’t really care how he smiles? definitely conscious and probably spent hours practicing in the mirror. Doesn’t want a hug? Probably the most touch starved person Hinata has ever met.

Hinata doesn’t know if it’s a game he’s playing, always contradicting what he really feels. It can get a little confusing but Hinata can’t call himself a man in love if he wasn’t acing in Tobio-science. He used to barely get a B- but now he’ll be damned if he even glances at the book. So, he hugs him just a bit tighter.

He can feel Kageyama’s arms tighten around him too.

He had realised it the day Kageyama had set the ball a little too high. They were practicing late again and Hinata could feel the exhaustion creeping up on him; maybe that’s what led to his partner’s little miscalculation and before he knew it Hinata was fumbling in the air for the ball. He could feel himself slowly fall down and desperately reached out to grasp the pole holding the net in place. The sharp sting of a protruded edge cutting through his palm told him that that probably wasn’t the best idea. 

Well, at least it wasn’t his dominant hand, he wouldn’t have to cut down on practice, he considers silently, also very well aware that with a bleeding hand on his side he was really worrying about the wrong thing. 

“Hinata! you dumbfuck! what did you do?!” Ah, truly a melody wasn’t it? The way his partner screamed his name? Kageyama might’ve seemed angry as he ran and cradled Hinata’s injured hand but Hinata would like to believe that there was concern hidden in there somewhere. He felt almost hazy as he watched Kageyama inspect the cut, his gaze soft and worrying. Damn, was a little cut really making him lose so much blood?

“Sit here. I’ll get the first aid kit from the club room.” Kageyama ordered, his eyes stern. Well, it wasn’t like Hinata would do anything else with the instructions so clear. Contrary to popular belief, Hinata greatly valued his life and health. Death by a blueberry setter didn’t seem like the best way to go. 

Kageyama returned well before Hinata could get any wild ideas, from the silent pants Hinata could tell he had run the entire way through. Silently offering his hand, all he could do was watch in awe as Kageyama cleaned and bandaged his hand with care. He wondered if he was staring too much but since the past few days, or weeks, maybe months, it had become too hard to look away whenever his gaze found Kageyama. 

That was when it started, when it finally hit him that Kageyama grabbing his head to pull his hair and reprimand him for another missed receive shouldn’t make him feel all fluttery inside, that’s not how normal humans worked. But was love really the answer to these feelings? maybe he was just a masochist in bloom or something. He promptly imagined Tsukishima doing the same to him and shuddered in annoyance. 

So yeah, definitely not that. Love it is. 

He admires the faint hue of the setting sun filtering in and illuminating Kageyama’s face as he carefully bandages Hinata’s hand. With the blood all cleaned off it becomes obvious that the cut wasn’t serious at all but the way his setter nits his eyebrows screams that he’s willing to force Hinata to get stitches just to be extra sure that it’s all good. 

“Stop frowning like that.” Hinata teases. “You’ll start looking like an old man by the time we’re standing on the world stage.”

Because of course, he’s planning to follow him all the way to the top if it means he can finally beat him. If it means he can stand beside him. 

“Well, you’ll need to quit being an idiot and stop hurting yourself if you ever wanna go that far.” Kageyama fires back as he gets up to dispose off the bloodied cotton pads. Hinata looks down at his neatly bandaged hand and sighs softly.

“It’s all still part of growing up, right? Getting hurt and falling sick. Still part of Volleyball.” Quietly recalling Takeda sensei’s words. It still stings sometimes, he’s aware that he suddenly can’t avoid all misfortunes just because he’s trying hard. He’s determined to never let it repeat though. 

He feels a slight pat on his back and looks up in shock, he hadn’t noticed Kageyama come back and take a seat beside him. “Yeah, still a part, and we’ll learn and grow soon enough.” Kageyama mummers, Hinata’s sure he wouldn’t have caught it at all if the gym wasn’t so deadly silent. His chest feels tight yet free at the same time, it’s like he’s got tunnel vision and all he can see is Kageyama and his softened side profile. 

He wonders what it feels like to trace a path from his cheekbones to his lower lips with his own. He startles when he realises what he’s thinking and then looks away. 

Seems like it’s hard to stop once you’ve already started. All he dreams about is kissing Kageyama. His forehead, his eyes, his cheeks, his nose — his lips. Maybe that is his love language, he muses lightheartedly, showering a loved one with kisses. 

Well, if his love language is kisses then he’ll like to dream that Kageyama’s would be soft spoken words of encouragement and warm pats on the back. 

\- 

He’s running and he’s running and he’s running faster. Kageyama is still a few centimetres forward, his legs are thumping harder against the concrete and why – why does it feel like he’s miles away? 

It’s Kageyama’s win this time. 578 to 569. Hinata is well aware that he wins too, he sticks out his tongue on those days and Kageyama crunches his nose like he smelled something foul but accepts that he lost. But a little known fact is that Hinata knows he didn’t, he can feel the gap getting wider. He won but wasn’t that only by a stretch? He wins less and less these days and he can feel Kageyama walk farther and farther away. 

They’re at the top of the hill now, gasping desperately to catch more air. The distance they had to cover for the hill reps was much farther down. They were far enough that Hinata couldn’t hear the new first years being rowdy with Tanaka and Nishinoya. 

“Where–where the f-fuck” Kageyama sat down to take a deep breath. “–are we?”

“Far enough that I can already feel Ennoshita senpai tearing us a new one.” Hinata gasped back. He knows they did it again. Got too lost in their own little competition that they completely forgot this was a group training. 

He watches Kageyama get up from where they’re crouching on the rocky path and lie down on the coarse grass near the tree shade. It’s a pretty picture, the way Kageyama’s eyes flutter close, the shadow of the tree leaves painted across his face, his legs splayed out on the grass, his fingers pushing his hair back to wipe away the sweat. Hinata laments on not having his phone beside him, though he knows Kageyama would never let him take a picture. So he just stares harder, forcing his brain to capture it all. 

His breath catches softly as Kageyama opens his eyes to stare directly into his as if asking—no— _demanding_ that he come and lie there as well. Now, Hinata could refuse and jog back down the hill and jog away from letting this wound fester and hurt; but going against the king is treason in all aspects and Hinata is too young for a crime of that severity. He’s only seventeen. 

And he’s only in love. 

He crawls the distance between the road and the tree shade because he still can’t feel his legs and lies beside Kageyama, making sure their arms don’t touch. Close enough for these stupid desires and far enough to keep his sanity intact. He can feel Kageyama watching him intently through it all, and wishes not for the first time to know what the setter is thinking. 

“Did you show the new game plans to coach?” He blurts out, trying to shift and run from whatever this weird atmosphere was. He moves his eyes towards the sky to avoid looking directly into Kageyama’s, yet he doesn’t feel him look away. Why won’t he look away? 

“Yeah I did.” Hinata let out a silent breath when he felt the eyes move away. “He approved them. Looks like we aren’t completely useless with Suga senpai not around.” 

They spend the next hour talking about new game plans and the upcoming training camp. It’s better like this, Hinata thinks. They nerd over Volleyball almost on autopilot, there are no unnecessary feelings or thoughts involved. It’s the best way to stay focused and not stray away from what’s important right now. 

Kageyama is carving strategies into the dirt with a stray stick they found when they finally get a call from Ennoshita senpai. Hinata doesn’t even have to lean in to listen as the loud scolding filters through, demanding them to return this instant. 

Kageyama replies back with words of affirmation and promises to get back soon. Hinata watches him silently from the ground as he gets up and dusts his pants. The wind rustling the leaves seems a little colder now; they’ve clearly been around here way too long. Hinata knows he should follow suit but looking up at Kageyama’s profile in the setting sun, his hair almost darker against the orange hue, all he can do is sit still and keep his mouth shut tight. He’ll say something weird if he lets even a breath escape. He’ll say something wrong. 

There’s a taller tree way behind Kageyama, the green a little dull from the cold weather and Hinata focuses on it like it’s the best gameplay he’s ever watched because he knows Kageyama is looking at him again. Not questioning, just looking. Is he waiting for Hinata to say something? or perhaps just waiting for him to get up so they can get going? Then why isn’t he saying anything? Why isn’t he _speaking?_

His sight gets disrupted by a hand. He looks upfront to find that Kageyama is holding his hand out, waiting for Hinata to grab on so he can pull him up; even when Hinata can very well do it on his own. It’s strange and all he can do is stare at the hand before him. When was the last time they held hands? can this even be considered proper hand holding? 

It’s proper touching though, It’s still the hand of the person Hinata is in love with and he knows that that the way his lips are tight shut, his hands should be right beside his side too. So he just laughs awkwardly and slaps the hand away softly to get up on his own. 

He walks a few steps forward but halts when he realises Kageyama isn’t following him.

“Coming?” Hinata looks back and asks. Kageyama is standing still and still looking at him with those strange eyes. Does he want to say something? then why won’t he speak? It’s like he knows exactly what Hinata wants, what he wants. Like he knows that just a few words and they can finally cross that bridge.

Like he knows Hinata isn’t ready to cross over yet. 

“Yeah.” Kageyama answers and they walk down the hill together like nothing ever happened. 

-

Hinata is eighteen when he realises that the only way to stop these fruitless thoughts and unnecessary teenage angst is to carve out a different path. He wants to do it all, He wants to stand on the court knowing very well that he deserves to be there. He wants to be an asset to his team, he wants to be an asset to himself. The opportunity comes to him, along with the fear that moving forward became moving farther way too soon. 

He’s standing at the boarding gate, his hands haven’t stopped trembling since he left the house. He lets Kageyama hold his hand this time, he’s too anxious to let the ever present doubts rob him of this comfort. He doesn’t even flinch when Kageyama pulls him into his arms, and just buries his face deeper into his chest. It’s warm in his arms, a solace that only grows more intense as Kageyama holds him tighter. Hinata wonders how many more mountains he needs to cross to live frozen in this moment forever. 

It’s all white noise before the last call for the flight to Brazil filters through and pulling away from the embrace feels worse than losing any game, worse than any knife cutting through. He’s too busy consoling himself to feel Kageyama cup his jaw, doesn’t see the way those blue eyes shine with a newfound determination. 

He lets out a gasp as he feels Kageyama move his face forward. His own hands shoot up almost on reflex to clasp over Kageyama’s mouth. There’s a chanting in his head of Not yet, Not yet, Not yet, _Not yet_. He’s not ready to completely face this, to stand beside him and to stand with him. Hinata will not be ready till he finds himself. So he cups Kageyama’s face and rests his forehead against his own and whispers the words that haven’t left his head since that one evening in the gym, the scar on his left palm long gone but the realisation of what these feelings were still there. 

“Not now, Not yet.” 

He hesitantly opens his eyes to look at Kageyama, expecting disappointment or even anger but it’s almost like Kageyama understood every word Hinata had left unspoken through these years. He holds Hinata’s gaze like he’s locking the words in, they’re an assurance. It’s a promise he can’t break. 

As Hinata Shouyou boards the plane, he muses that moving farther to move forward isn’t so bad if he leaves his heart behind to come back to one day. 

Not today but surely one day. Not yet but _soon_. 

\- 

A little over three years later, standing opposite the net from each other, All Kageyama says as he looks at him is, 

“You’re here.”

Suddenly, every moment scared and alone in a foreign country seems worth it. Every moment away from home seems like a forgotten memory. Hinata had won this time, He’d won fair and square. This was his victory in their little log and for the first time he didn’t doubt marking it with green. However, looking at the opposite side, at the dark blue eyes staring back at him, it seemed like the least important thing. 

“I’m here.” 

He lets out a low gasp as Kageyama slams him harshly against the bathroom stall. He had dragged him in there as soon as the autograph line had diminished. As he feels Kageyama grip his thighs to wrap them around his own waist, he’s well aware that they’re way too sweaty and tired to do this right now. There are possibly dozens of people outside looking for them but the way Kageyama drags his teeth against his collarbone makes it so so hard to think about anything else. 

“N-not the welcome I was expecting,” Hinata gasps out as he feels Kageyama slip his hands under his shirt. 

“Mn.” Kageyama hums, clearly way too invested in marking constellations onto Shouyou’s throat to form a coherent reply — but then he looks up “It’s a welcome you and i deserve.”

Hinata almost hates the way he smirks up at him, it’s infuriating yet so damn hot at the same time but god knows he’s been blue balling himself way too long. So he pushes aside the annoyance to focus on the heat coiling up his stomach. He focuses on the way Kageyama’s lips trail up his jaw but stop just a breath away from his own. 

“If you stop me this time I swear to god I won’t let you breathe in peace.” Kageyama mumbles, his breath tickling against Hinata’s lips. How long can this patience stretch? 

“As if you’ve ever let me have any peace at all.” Hinata chuckles and grips Kageyama’s hair tight to close the distance.

**Author's Note:**

> ya'll want fluff kagehina in their first year? brave of you to assume hinata would date kageyama before he gets to wipe the floor with his blueberry ass. thank u so much for reading ❤️


End file.
